MOUNT VERNON – What was life like for the average soldier during the Civil War? Ken Hammontree will present life on the front lines as a member of the 87th Pennsylvania, Jack Skelly. Why this particular soldier? Ken wrote a book about the interesting story of Jack Skelly, Jennie Wade and their childhood friend Robert Culp. The three friends were from Gettysburg, Culp decided to fight for the Confederacy, Jack became engaged to Jennie and joined the Union cause, and was mortally wounded at the battle of Winchester. As he lay dying, amazingly, Culp saw him and promised to deliver Jack’s last letter he had written to Jennie in Gettysburg. However, Robert before he could deliver the letter, Culp was killed on the Gettysburg property of his uncle, Culp’s Hill. Jennie died of a stray bullet at Gettysburg and ironically, Jack, the first of the three to be wounded was the last of the three to die.
Ken will tell the story in his first person living history Chautauqua presentation on Thursday January 29 at ThePlace@TheWoodward [120 S. Main Street, Mount Vernon, Ohio]. Doors open for this donation based program at 6 PM and the presentation starts at 7 PM. Elixir, sponsors of the series, will present their own brand of music and merriment and the feature performance will follow at 7:45 PM with a question and answer period immediately at the end.
ThePlace@TheWoodward is a first floor facility and accessible to those with special needs such as walkers, wheel chairs and strollers and the programs are rated G, families and children are encouraged to come to enhance their understanding of history.
For more information on upcoming programs in the Chautauqua/Lyceum Series, now in its 9th season, visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-6102.